A months-long investigation by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies has landed one person in prison. Two others have been indicted, and the investigation is expected to result in more arrests, according to Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster.
Money, drugs, firearms, tools, a gun safe, checks and other items were recovered in several counties during the investigation, Lancaster said Tuesday in a news release.
Searches conducted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and associated police departments found tools, power tools, chain saws, personal property, a large gun safe, firearms, stolen checks and reported stolen motor vehicles, and a large amount of Fentanyl in July 2019. Somerset County Sheriff’s Office photo
To date, three people have been charged with various offenses ranging from burglary to aggravated drug trafficking, he said. They have either been sentenced or are in custody.
Robert Tucker, 49, of Moscow, was arrested July 19 and indicted on three counts of burglary, three counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, seven counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, and three counts of unauthorized use of property, according to Lancaster.
Justin Stevens, 28, of Skowhegan, was arrested on July 26 and indicted on three counts of burglary, three counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, eight counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and three counts of unauthorized use of property, he said.
Scott Jones, 53, of Skowhegan, was arrested July 19 and charged with aggravated trafficking in a schedule W drug, Class A; possession of a schedule W drug, Class C; and receiving stolen property. On Sept. 18, Jones was convicted on all charges, admitted to a probation violation, and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to the sheriff.
“Between the months of March 2019 and July 2019 several car burglaries, thefts, firearm thefts, criminal mischiefs, residential burglaries and motor vehicle thefts were reported in Somerset County, in the Towns of Harmony, Skowhegan, Fairfield, Anson, Madison and Bingham, as well as locations in Piscataquis County,” Lancaster’s release says.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office’s criminal division gathered information about other possible suspects, according to Lancaster.
“Subsequent to the suspect information being gathered, several search warrants-area searches were executed, with residences-locations being searched in the towns of Moscow, Madison, Skowhegan, Solon, and Fairfield in July, 2019,” he said in the release.
Officials recovered thousands of dollars worth of reported stolen property, which included tools, power tools, personal property, a large gun safe, firearms, stolen checks and stolen vehicles, along with a large amount of fentanyl, Lancaster said.
One of the burglaries that was solved occurred in May at a home on Route 43 in Madison, where nine firearms, as well as credit cards, personal checks, more than $4,000 in cash, chainsaws and a large gun safe were stolen, according to Lancaster.
“More charges are being reviewed by the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office and are expected to be levied against other individuals that are reportedly involved in these and other cases,” he said.
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